The latest and most comprehensive coverage of local News, Sports, Business, and Community News stories in the Klamath Basin, Southern Oregon and around the state of Oregon from Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS News/Talk 1450AM / 102.5FM, The Herald & News, and BasinLife.com, and powered by Mick Insurance, your local health and Medicare agents.
Friday, July 9, 2021
Klamath Basin Weather
Heat Advisory in effect from July 9, 02:00PM until July 11, 08:00PM
Air Quality Alert – Smokey skies all weekend.
Today Widespread smoke, mainly before 2pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. Calm wind becoming west southwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.. Overnight, patchy smoke with a low around 63. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Smokey skies and sunny and hot, with a high near 100.
Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 101.
Monday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.mokey skies
Tuesday Sunny and hot with a high near 99.
Wednesday Sunny and hot with a high around 98 degrees.
Today’s Headlines
Updated Friday, 12:05PM
The Bootleg Fire burning up on the Chiloquin Ranger District of the Fremont-Winema National Forest has become the largest wildfire currently burning in the state. The fire, which officials now estimate is 38,892 acres with 1% containment as of yesterday, is burning on Fuego Mountain, about 11 miles northeast of Sprague River.
Fire behavior was extreme yesterday and firefighters worked on strengthening roads and identifying anchor points. The fire crossed the Sycan River yesterday and is in the West Spodue project are on the Bly Ranger District, an area that has recently undergone fuel reduction and prescribed burning, which is expected to aid fire crews. The fire is expected to continue its extreme behavior due to forecast weather conditions.
The Klamath County Structural Task Force is expected to continue protection measures for private properties in the area. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory for south central Oregon including Klamath, Lake and parts of Douglas and Jackson counties.
The DEQ expected the air quality advisory to last until at least Monday morning. The Bootleg Fire continues to burn on the Fremont-Winema National Forest and private lands approximately 11 miles northeast of the town of Sprague River, Oregon. A Red Flag Warning for strong, gusty winds with low relative humidity remains in effect.
Today’s operations:
Despite the challenges posed by weather and terrain, firefighters continue to look for opportunities to safely engage the fire and to assess defensible locations where effective fire breaks can be constructed. Crews have also continued their work on protection measures for private properties in the area, focusing on structural triage and preparation by creating defensible space around structures.
Evacuations:
At the request of the Bootleg Incident Commander, following are the current evacuation levels issued by Klamath County Emergency Management:
Level 3 (Go) – Leave immediately
- Near the town of Sprague River. Upper Tableland area north of Oregon Pines Road.
- North of the town of Beatty. Sycan Estates area.
Level 2 (Get Set) – Be ready to leave at a moment’s notice
- North of the town of Beatty. The area north of Highway 140, on both sides of Godowa Springs Road.
- North of the town of Sprague River. Klamath Forest Estates/Moccasin Hills area.
Evacuation Shelter
Beatty Community Center
Closures:
The Fremont-Winema National Forest issued emergency fire closure order 06-02-21-03 for the area between Forest Road 4542 on the western edge, along Forest Roads 45 and 46 on the northern edge to Forest Road 27 on the eastern side. Then to the junction with Forest Road 3462, heading west to the junction with Forest Road 3445, then south to the Forest Boundary, following the Boundary west to Forest Road 44 and then north to the junction with Forest Road 4542. Forest Road 44 is also closed between the Sprague River Road and Forest Road 4542.
SIZE: 38,892 acres
CONTAINMENT: 1%
PERSONNEL: 297
CAUSE: Under Investigation
RESOURCES:
Hand Crews 8
Fire Engines 17
Dozers 7
Water Tenders 7
AIRCRAFT:
Helicopters 2
Fixed Wing 8
There are two new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll at 2,790. Oregon Health Authority reported 212 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of yesterday, bringing the state total to 209,973.
Klamath County reported 8 new cases. Jackson County reported 18.
A helicopter pilot assigned to the Lava Fire survived after his aircraft went down on Wednesday afternoon, officials from the U.S. Forest Service confirmed.
USFS said that the pilot performed an “emergency landing” into Lake Shastina. He was able to swim to shore from where the aircraft went down and is currently being assessed. There were no other passengers in the helicopter when it went down.
One witness at the scene said that he saw the helicopter going in for a bucket drop, and then shortly later heard a loud booming sound before the helicopter landed into the lake. Another witness, who was not at the scene of the initial crash, told NewsWatch 12 that when she arrived to the scene, it was “intense.” An investigation is underway at Lake Shastina as to what caused the crash.
The Ross Ragland Theater and the Klamath Folk Alliance present the Klamath Folk Festival on Saturday, July 24th from 12:00pm-6:00pm.
Previously the Folk Festival was held at Mia’s and Pia’s. This year the significantly expanded event will feature 20+ local and regional artists on the famous Ragland stage along with outdoor music, beer garden, food trucks, cultural exhibits, local craft vendors, and raffle tickets for a hand-signed guitar with lyrics handwritten in script by Michael Martin Murphey of “Wildfire” fame! Performers include beloved local legends like Bob Pickel, Bonnie Hay, Andrew Smith, and Racyne Parker. Ms. Parker hails from local music royalty – her dad is Raymond Parker of the Lost River Band.
With her popularity on social media and the recent launch of her new record she was a perfect fit to headline the festival. Three different ticket packages are available. Adults $22, Vegas Box Seating $42, Live Streaming Pass $32.
Call 541-884-LIVE or contact the theater online at www.rrt.org.
Historical tours of the Klamath Falls downtown area will be offered this summer on a trolley built to resemble the town’s original streetcar that operated in the early 1900s.
The Klamath County Museum has restored its replica of the streetcar, and will conduct the hour-long tours on some Thursday evenings through the summer. The “Old Trolley Days” tours will focus on what the town looked like when the original trolley ran. At that time, there were few brick buildings in town. Livery stables were common in the downtown area, as there were very few cars on the road.
The tours will begin at the county museum at 1451 Main Street, and include a stop for refreshments at the Baldwin Hotel Museum before returning to the county museum. Cost for the tour is $15 per person, with proceeds to benefit a museum reserve fund that was tapped for more than $15,000 to make repairs to the replica trolley last year.
Local teens in Klamath County can sign up to play online multiplayer video games for free through the Klamath County Library District.
Teens ages 12-18 can access free 30-day passes to play PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at the library, but the library only has a limited number of codes.
To sign up and snag a code, visit the library district’s website or visit the Klamath County Library’s Youth Services Desk at the downtown branch at 126 South 3rd Street, and staff at the library will either email the code, or it will be provided as a gift card.
Around the state of Oregon
Setting More Temperature Records
Today will mark the 20th straight day in Medford where the temperature reached AT LEAST 95°. We broke the old record of 18 straight days set in 1967 on Thursday and have several days of 100° ahead of us in the next few days.
With triple-digit temperatures expected through the weekend and continued hot weather into next week, there is little doubt this new record will continue to be extended.
Hot temperatures peak Friday and Saturday then remain hot through at least Sunday. Through Monday, Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories are in effect through Sunday for many inland valleys and into Monday for Northern California. Make sure to stay hydrated and avoid strenuous activities during the hottest part of the day. Never leave children or pets in closed vehicles.
An air quality advisory is also in effect for Klamath and Lake counties and parts of Douglas and Jackson counties stemming from smoke from the Jack Fire and Bootleg Fire. State Department of Environmental Quality officials said Thursday they expect the advisory to be in effect until at least Monday morning.
WILDFIRE UPDATES
Northwest Current Incident Details
Incidents listed below meet large fire criteria and/or incidents with a Type 1 or 2 IMT assigned. Large incidents are defined as fires which are 100+ acres in timber or 300+ acres in grass/brush.
Jack Fire. OR-UPF-000265. IMT2, NW Team 9 (Goff) & OSFM Blue Team (Magers). 20 mi E of Glide, OR. Start 7/5. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 4,224 acres (+1,829). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber and brush. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road closures.
Bootleg. OR-FWF-210321. IMT2, NW Team 10 (Lawson) & OSFM Green Team (Lighty). 15 mi NW of Beatty, OR. Start 7/6. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 38,892 acres (+17,000). 0% containment. Extreme fire behavior. Timber and brush. Evacuations in effect. Road closures.
Lewis Rock. OR-952S-021160. IMT1, ODF Team 3 (McCarty) 4.5 mi S of Mitchell, OR. Start 6/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 440 acres (-72). 45% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Timber and grass.
Dixie Creek. OR-952S-021187. ICT3. 3 mi NW of Prairie City, OR. Start 7/03. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 541 acres (+0). 75% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber and brush. No new information received.
Gov. Brown To Announce Winner Of $1 Million Vaccine Jackpot Today
The winner of Oregon’s $1 million vaccine jackpot will be announced Friday afternoon.
Gov. Kate Brown will introduce the winner during a live broadcast at 1:30 p.m. on Youtube. Representatives from the Oregon Lottery and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will also be at the press conference.
The $1 million vaccine jackpot is part of the “Take Your Shot, Oregon” campaign to encourage more people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The winners of additional state and county vaccine cash prizes will be announced in the coming weeks as people are notified. Thirty-six people will win $10,000 prizes. Five people between 12-17 years old will win a $100,000 Oregon College Savings Plan scholarship.
Almost everyone who received at least one vaccine dose in Oregon was entered into the lottery.
In Douglas County, A 14-mile stretch of North Umpqua Highway is closed between Steamboat Creek Road and Slide Creek (mileposts 41-55) due to the Jack Fire burning in Douglas County.
The fire began Monday afternoon, July 5. The cause is still under investigation. The fire is burning along the steep highway corridor, destroying guardrail and signs, and causing rocks and flaming debris to fall onto the roadway.
Oregon 138 East between Steamboat and Lemolo Lake junction is expected to remain closed at least through the weekend. ODOT has set up a checkpoint at Lemolo Lake junction for westbound traffic. The checkpoint allows local and recreation traffic access to the nearby area, including Lemolo Lake.
Employers will have to provide their workers with cool-down breaks, drinking water, and access to shade during periods of extreme heat like those impacting Oregon right now, OSHA stipulates in a new emergency rule.
Governor Kate Brown directed the agency to act earlier this week after triple-digit temperatures resulted in the deaths of more than 100 Oregonians during the recent highs. OSHA was already in the process of drafting permanent rules, but they are not expected to take effect until this fall. The temporary rule is effective immediately and will stay in place for 180 days while the permanent rules remain under development. It applies to any workplace “where heat dangers are caused by the weather.”
The OSHA rule has two levels of requirements — first when the heat index is equal to or above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and another set when it rises above 90 degrees.
Oregon is joining 36 other states in filing a lawsuit against Google for anti-competitive behavior.
The lawsuit alleges Google imposes technical barriers that discourage or prevent third party developers from creating and distributing apps that run on the Android operating system. It also claims Google buys off developers to reduce competition and forces app developers to use Google’s payment processing system in their programs.
A push by gun rights supporters to recall one of Oregon’s top Republicans has come up short. As of the 5 p.m. deadline Tuesday, a campaign to recall Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod had not turned in any signatures, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
The effort would have required 8,922 valid signatures from voters in Girod’s district to force a recall election. The recall campaign emerged in April after Girod and five other Senate Republicans took to the chamber floor to forcefully oppose a gun control bill. That opposition was not enough for gun rights groups that had grown accustomed to Republicans blocking bills by refusing to show up for votes.
Josephine County Public Health to provide $25 reward cards for vaccinations
To help address barriers to COVID-19 vaccinations, Josephine County Public Health will supply local providers with reward cards for residents receiving a dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.
Public Health staff have disseminated an initial 500 Visa Reward Cards preloaded with $25 to participating COVID-19 vaccine providers in Josephine County, using Oregon Health Authority funds. The reward cards will be given to residents age 12 and older at the time of their vaccination.
Residents receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, which requires two doses, are eligible for one $25 card for each dose. Cards cannot be issued retroactively to those who have already received the vaccine.
“While COVID-19 restrictions have lifted across Oregon, the virus is still active and spreading in Josephine County,” said Dr. Leona O’Keefe, JCPH deputy health officer. “Those who have not yet been vaccinated remain vulnerable to infection and can spread the virus — including the fast-spreading Delta variant — to friends and family members. It is our hope that these reward cards can help ease the vaccination process for those who have so far been unable to schedule and receive their vaccine.”
Anyone interested in scheduling an appointment to receive a first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and receive a $25 Visa Reward Card is invited to fill out the Josephine County COVID-19 Vaccination Appointment Request Form at http://www.co.josephine.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=2299 or call the COVID-19 vaccination call center at (541) 916-7030.
For a complete list of local providers offering the reward card, please call the vaccination call center or visit http://www.co.josephine.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=2313.
In Josephine County, 47% percent of residents age 16 or older have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine. As of July 5, there have been 3,737 cases of COVID-19 among Josephine County residents and 77 deaths. More than 300 patients have been hospitalized since the beginning of the pandemic.
See co.josephine.or.us/COVID19 for more information.
Record Heat Wave And Drought Affecting Crops Across Oregon Worsening Loss To Growers
Dave Dillon, executive vice president of the Oregon Farm Bureau, said he is not sure there is any part of the state that has not been impacted this year by the heat dome, the ongoing drought, the ice storm in February, and the effects of wildfire smoke late last summer and happening now.
For farmers, he said the heatwave also comes on the heels of major market disruptions for agricultural products during the pandemic, the impacts of trade policies under the Trump administration, and three to four years of “bad prices for products.”
“You start kind of accumulating all of that weight, and it is a really tough time to be a farmer right now,” he said.
Dillon said the hardest hit by the heatwave has been for growers of caneberries — including blueberries, blackberries and marionberries — and cherries, all high-value items.
Dillon also said no federal program is available to help farmers recover from the kinds of losses accrued in the heatwave with regard to specialty crops, such as fruits and vegetables. “They’re not gigantic commodities, like corn or soybeans,” he said.
And while the heatwave did considerable damage on its own to agriculture throughout the state, he said its combination with the drought is likely to worsen immediate and longer-term effects.
Smith Berry Barn in Hillsboro lost around half of its raspberries and 25% to 50% of its blackberries during the heat wave. On day two, owner Rich Hildner worked to avoid that outcome — setting his water cannon and sprinklers to move from acre to acre in half the normal time to ensure all his crops were hydrated that same day.
Even with full irrigation, Hildner said raspberries cannot withstand temperatures over 90 degrees and turned white and dry on one side. Blackberries were damaged as well, and he expects green apples toward the top of trees to soon fall after brown rings were burned into them. “I think everything just got tired of the sun,” he said.
Hildner said he tried to prepare when he knew the heat wave was imminent, but he could not protect all 20 to 22 acres. “We did as much as we could,” he said. “You can’t cover everything with an umbrella when you grow as many acres as we do.”
Nodaway Blueberry Barn owner Sam Pap said he considered himself lucky to lose just around 20% of the Hillsboro farm’s blueberries, as only the ripe berries were scorched. Due to the extreme heat, those hidden under leaves from direct sunlight still wrinkled to resemble raisins.
The last time Pap remembered his crops were similarly damaged by heat was in 2009. In both instances, he said the impact was exacerbated by berries not being able to cool down overnight.
Most berries, Pap said, are resilient to heat even up to 100 degrees if they can cool down after nightfall with temperatures in the 60-62 range. During the heatwave, evening temperatures ranged from 72 to 82 degrees, which he said berries can endure only briefly before becoming dehydrated after two days.
Pap said he is unsure how he could prepare for a similar heat event down the line. “I just chalked it up to one of these variables that me personally, I do not have any control over,” he said, “because I just can’t control the heat.”
Other Oregon farmers were more fortunate. Aside from squash plants and some scorching on leaves, crops grown at Sun Love Farm in Oregon City suffered virtually no damage during the heatwave, said owner Melissa Streng.
Streng took precautions in the day prior, covering broccoli and lettuce with a shade cloth that cooled the crops by blocking out 30% of the sunlight beaming down on them. She also sprayed the plants with kaolin clay, which is commonly used to deter pests from crops but can also provide sun protection by whitening the crops and acting as a sunscreen.
Knowing broccoli heads would not survive the heatwave, she harvested broccoli she thought had reached full maturity. She would normally have left them in the field until their normal harvest day before going out to customers through pickup or delivery.
Some crops such as tomatoes, peppers, squash and cucumbers are “heat-loving plants,” Streng said. Even so, she thought the record-setting heat could be damaging. “But they were more resilient than I expected,” she said.
In preparation for a future heatwave, Streng said she plans on investing in more shade cloth and a backup water source, such as a rainwater collection system. She said all her plants would have died if the farm’s water supply was shut off during the heatwave.
With the city water the vegetable farm currently runs on, she watered all plants every day during the heatwave rather than every three days as she normally does.
The heat is also negatively affecting the crops themselves. Across the region, wheat crops were already suffering from drought prior to the heatwave. When wheat is stressed, it stops making grain, so the heatwave will most likely reduce the number of kernels of wheat products and shrivel many of the wheat berries making them lighter weight, according to USDA wheat expert Craig Morris.
“I think three-quarters is probably pretty realistic from what I’m hearing,” Morris told OPB. “But again, until the combines roll and the trucks get filled up and go across the scales, and go to the elevator … we aren’t going to know for certain.”
Additionally, Pacific Northwest cherry growers are concerned for their crops amid the scorching hot weather during the harvest. Some growers are preparing for predawn harvests while others start at sunrise, but the 100-plus degree temperatures could damage crops despite these efforts.